Brotherhood
by Sweet Pripper
Summary: About Kowalski's and Private's brotherhood.


One day, Private stole 50 cents from Skipper's drawer. Skipper discovered about the stolen money right away.

"Who stole the money?" he asked Kowalski and Private.

Private was stunned, too afraid to talk. Neither of them admitted to the fault, so he said, "Fine, if nobody wants to admit, you both should be punished!" Suddenly, Kowalski gripped Skipper's flipper and said, "Skipper, I was the one who did it!' He took the blame, and punishment, for Private.

In the middle of the night, all of sudden, Private cried out loudly. Kowalski covered Private's beak with his flipper and said, "Private, now don't cry anymore. Everything has happened." Private will never forget Kowalski's expression when he protected him. That year, Private was 8 years old and Kowalski was 11. Private still hates himself for not having enough courage to admit what he did. Years went by, but the incident still seemed like it just happened yesterday.

Kowalski walked in front of Skipper and said, "Skipper, I don't want to continue my study anymore, I have read enough books.'  
Skipper became angry.

"Why do you have a spirit so weak? Even if it means I have to beg for money on the streets, I will send you two to school until you have both finished your studies!" And then, he started to ask everyone for money.

Private stuck out his flipper as gently as he could to Kowalski's face, and told him, "A boy has to continue his study. If not, he will not be able to overcome this poverty we are experiencing.'" He however, had decided not to further his study at the university.

Nobody knew that on the next day, before dawn, Kowalski left the house with some food. He sneaked to Private's side of the bed and left a note on his pillow, "Private, getting into a university is not easy. I will go find a job and I will send money to you." Private held the note while sitting on his bunk, and cried until he lost his voice.

With the money Skipper borrowed from everyone and the money Kowalski earned from carrying cement on his back at a construction site, finally, Private managed to get to the third year of his study in the university. That year, Kowalski was 20 years old and private was 17.

One day, while Private was studying in his room his roommate came in and told him, "There's a villager waiting for you outside!" Why would there be a villager looking for him? Private walked out, and he saw Kowalski from afar. His whole body was covered with dirt, dust, cement and sand. Private asked him, "Why did you not tell my roommate that you are my brother?"

He replied with a smile, "Look at my appearance. What will they think if they would know that I am your brother? Won't they laugh at you?"

Private felt so touched, and tears filled his eyes. He swept away dirt and dust from Kowalski's body. And told him with a lump in his throat, "I don't care what people would say! You are my brother no matter what your appearance."

From his back, he took out a photo book. He put it in Private's flippers and said, "I saved this for you." Private could not hold back himself anymore. He pulled Kowalski in his flippers and cried. That year, Kowalski was 23 years old and private was 20 years old.

After Private got married, he lived in the city. Many times his wife invited Skipper to come and live with them, but he didn't want to. He said once he left the village, he wouldn't know what to do. Kowalski agreed with him. He said, "Private, you just take care of your wife. I will take care of Skipper here."

Private became the directors of his factory. He asked Kowalski to accept the offer of being the manager in the maintenance department. But Kowalski rejected the offer. He insisted on working as a repairman instead for a start.

One day, Kowalski was on the top of a ladder repairing a cable, when he got electrocuted, and was sent to the hospital. Private and his wife visited him at the hospital. Looking at the plaster cast on his foot, Private grumbled, "Why did you reject the offer of being a manager? Managers won't do something dangerous like that. Now look at you - you are suffering a serious injury. Why didn't you just listen to us?"

With a serious expression on his face, he defended his decision, "Think of your brother-in-law, he just became the director. If I, being uneducated, would become a manager, what kind of rumors would fly around?"

Private's wife's eyes filled up with tears, and then Private said, "But you lack in education only because of me!"

"Why do you talk about the past?" he said and then he held Private's flipper. That year, Kowalski was 29 years old and Private was 26 years old.

private was 30 years old when Kowalski married a female farmer penguin from the village. During the wedding reception, the host asked him, "Who is the one person you respect and love the most?"

Without even taking a time to think, he answered, "Private." He continued by telling a story that Private could not even remember. "When I was in primary school, the school was in a different zoo. Everyday, Private and I would walk for 2 hours to school and back home. One day, I lost my coat. Private gave me his. He had to walk far. When we got home, he was trembling because of the cold weather. he couldn't even hold a fish. From that day on, I swore that as long as I lived, I would take care of Private and would always be good to him."

Applause filled up the room. All guests turned their attention to Private. Private found it hard to speak, "In my whole life, the one I would like to thank most is Kowalski." And in this happy occasion, in front of the crowd, tears were rolling down his face.


End file.
